A Study on the Holy Ghost

̶ Week 31 of 38 ̶

By David Wilson

© 2017 by David Wilson

All rights reserved

 

Discerning of Spirits

(Conclusion)

There are two realms of the spirit world. The great-unseen world of spirits is divided into the good and evil. Our Lord God and Satan are the rulers over these respective realms. Cherubim, seraphim and angels do the bidding of God. Principalities, powers and rulers of the darkness of this world, wicked spirits in high places, and evil spirits and demons are all under the authority of Satan. These two realms are arrayed against each other, and the war of the ages is still going on. The Holy Ghost is the active Commander-in-Chief of God’s army. He personally indwells and energizes spirit-filled believers. Discerning of spirits is a valuable weapon both of defense and offense for the spirit-filled believer.

In the realm of affliction, the Bible speaks of dumb spirits (Matthew 9:21); blind spirits (Matthew 12:22); deaf spirits (Matthew 9:25); spirits of infirmity (Luke 13:11, 16); and spirits of lunacy (Matthew 14:15, 18). There are also cases of those who were just “possessed with devils” (Matthew 4:24).

The gift of discerning of spirits enables the saints of God to approach these cases with knowledge and understanding. With the word of authority, he cast out the evil spirits (Mark 16:17). Paul’s reference to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1) reveals a very subtle trick of Satan to deceive mankind. Also, in the last days will come false prophets, who will perform miracles with signs and lying wonders in the name of the antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:9 and Revelations 13:14).

Without the gift of discerning of spirits or discernment, we would not recognize these evil spirits that surrounds us. They dwell on every hand and can only be recognized through the gift of discernment. The Word tells us to know those that labor among us; this can only be done as God reveals to us their true spiritual nature. Not everyone that is evil is possessed of evil spirits, but a good many are. We must be open to the voice of God as He speaks to us concerning those evil spirits. Every spirit-filled believer needs the gift of discernment to fulfill God’s calling in his or her life.

(Next week we will read about the gifts of Power.

If you enjoyed this, you can purchase the book on our website in the Bookstore.)

12/28/2018

Haggai 1:2-5 (KJV)
²  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built. ³  Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, ⁴  Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? ⁵  Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

As I was studying my Sunday School lesson this week it dawned on me how appropriate it was for the last Sunday of the year. The lesson is on the book of Haggai, both chapters.

This is the time of year that people are interested in making New Year Resolutions; and to do that you have to think about what all you have done this year; and what you could have done to make it better. Here in Haggai, we read about how the Israelites had moved back home and found their homes and God’s Temple had been destroyed.

Like most good Christians today, the Israelites started on rebuilding and repairing the Temple. Then they let their day-to-day life take over and become more important than rebuilding the Temple. We today, if we are not diligent, will let anything and sometimes everything come between us and the Lord and want He wants us to do.

The Israelites had a good prophet in Haggai, because he brought God’s Word to the people and called them to task about how neglectful the people were of God. Today so many pastors are more concerned about not offending the people who come to church then they are about offending God and not reminding the people about what God wants of them. We have pastors that want to tell only the “good” things from the Bible. Such as how God is a loving God, a kind God, a peaceful God and so on and so on.

God does love His people, then and now, and to show that love God will bring it to our attention that we are neglecting Him. One of the ways that it is brought to our attention is God withholds blessings from our lives. When we put God first in our lives, we are blessed so many ways, however when we demote God from being #1 in our lives our blessings disappear from our lives.

If you are the type of person to make resolutions on New Year’s Day make it one that places God in the #1 position and keep it. I would like for all people to put God’s will first in all areas of their lives. If every person that professes to be a Christian did this for all of 2019, I wonder how different this world would be this time next year.

C.I. Wilson

A Study on the Holy Ghost

̶ Week 30 of 38 ̶

By David Wilson

© 2017 by David Wilson

All rights reserved

Discerning of Spirits

(part 1)

Discerning of Spirits is such an important phase of spiritual knowledge, that it is honored with recognition apart from the gift of the Word of Knowledge. The reason for this lies in the value which this gift has in Christian life and ministry.

1 Kings 3:9

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

1 Corinthians 2:9-16

⁹ But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

¹⁰ But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

¹¹ For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

¹³ Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

¹⁴ But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

¹⁵ But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

¹⁶ For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Hebrews 5:12-14

¹² For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

¹³ For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

¹⁴ But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

(Next week we will read more about discerning of Spirits.

If you enjoyed this, you can purchase the book on our website in the Bookstore.)

A Study on the Holy Ghost

̶ Week 29 of 38 ̶

By David Wilson

© 2017 by David Wilson

All rights reserved

Wisdom

Wisdom builds with the materials which knowledge provides. Wisdom understands facts, laws, principles, trends, influences, possibilities and inevitabilities. The Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Knowledge is fruitless if we do not possess the ability to use what we have learned. We express wisdom in our lives daily by the decisions we make, after judging all of our alternatives. We have often heard it said that a person has no common sense. What this simply means is that he cannot put his knowledge to work. Book learning and practical application are two entirely different things. Wisdom is the ability to use your knowledge correctly.

Isaiah 11:2

And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

Proverbs 4:5-13

⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

⁷ Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

⁸ Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.

⁹ She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.

¹⁰ Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.

¹¹ I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths.

¹² When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

¹³ Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

James 1:5-8

⁵ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

James 3:13-18

¹³ Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

¹⁴ But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

¹⁵ This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

¹⁶ For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

¹⁸ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the

holy is understanding.

James 3:17

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

(Next week we will read about the discerning of Spirits.

If you enjoyed this, you can purchase the book on our website in the Bookstore.)

A Study on the Holy Ghost

̶ Week 28 of 38 ̶

By David Wilson

© 2017 by David Wilson

All rights reserved

 

Knowledge

Knowledge is knowing. We gain knowledge in many ways in the natural. We learn skills by doing and by reading. Before you can teach someone, you must first know about the subject. It’s hard to teach a subject you don’t know firsthand. So we see that knowledge is “knowing.” The gift of the Word of Knowledge is simply knowledge that is given to us by God concerning the scriptures and spiritual interpretation, on those subjects in which God would have us to be well-versed, so that by using this gift, we can be a help to those who are around us. This imparting of knowledge to others makes their lives easier.

Genesis 3:5-6, 22-23

⁵ For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

⁶ And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

²² And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

²³ Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

1 Corinthians 8:1-2

¹ Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

² And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

Proverbs 2:3-5

³ Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

⁴ If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

⁵ Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 15:19

The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

James 3:13

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

(Next week we will read about the Word of Wisdom.

If you enjoyed this, you can purchase the book on our website in the Bookstore.)